Advantages

Disadvantages

Thumbs in the middle

"Space Station: Silicon Valley" is a video game released to the Gameboy Color console in 1999 by Take-Two Interactive. It was released only for the European marketplace and is a part of a series of the same title for other consoles. While I could not immediately find an age rating, I would suggest this game as being suitable for all ages.

Gameplay is that of a typical action platform title. In it, players guide "Evo" the robot who is assigned various missions throughout a space station. Evo comes across as being damaged goods as his energy bar falls at a fast rate, though this is countered by making use of various robotic lifeform shaped as animals which Evo can engage with to sustain his energy supply. Each animal has a unique ability which enables completion of set tasks, and the player will find him or herself making use of these abilities frequently. Unfortunately the tasks are very simple which makes gameplay very easy. It is noteworthy that the animals are few and far between in certain areas of the game, and this makes selecting the "appropriate" animal for the task comparably simple. There is a short mission briefing prior to engaging in play which further simplifies the processes involved. An obvious fault with the game is its slow moving characters. This could suggest being in outer space with gravitational restrictions, but it does not allow for an otherwise enjoyable gaming experience as much time is lost in moving from point A to point B.

The graphics of this title fill the display with colour. Such could be seen as somewhat repelling as many areas of the game feature blatantly bright images, making wide use of a range of yellows, pinks and lime greens. It is possible that this game was geared towards a younger audience who may appreciate such implements but as an adult player I did not find them to be complimentary. Design detailing was acceptable and I was able to differentiate between various objects with ease. The audio is of a very poor standard. There are numerous repetitive, slower compositions which are often interrupted by various beeping sounds. I found myself opting to play this game in silence because of this annoyance.

Overall, Silicon Valley is an acceptable platform title. It is a very simple game which offers little challenge and could be completed in a short time span. It's possible that this could be seen as more appealing to a child rather than an adult.